Lacing device



July 22, 1952 2,604,239

W. l. THOMAS LACING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l w 42 William Thomas INVENTOR.

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Patented July 22, 1952 UNITED- ;STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,604,239 LACING DEVICE:

WillianrI. Thomas, Montrose, Pa:

Application August-1, 1949., Serial No.- 107,988

slotted material over needle guides, interweavingthe. material on theguides, andthen operate. a crank so as to push the needles from the needle guides and then thread the eyes of the needles with the stri material, and then release the crank so as to allow springs to pull the eyes of the needles within the guides and then pull the slotted material from the guides thereby lacing the material with the strips.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty will become apparent to those skilled in the art, in following the description of the preferred form of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of the device, showing the same set up for use;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a part of the device, showing the initial stage in the operation;

Figure 3 is a plan view similar to that shown in Figure 2 and showing a second sequential step of operation;

Figure 4. is a plan view similar to that shown in Figure 2 but showing the final step of the operation thereof;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and in enlarged scale;

Figure '6 is a view taken substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the guides for the needles;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of one of the needles which is reciprocable in the guides.

For illustrative purposes a part of a table I0 is shown. Any type of table or support which is adaptable to the present invention may be used. A frame generally indicated at 12 is shown as being fixed to the top or the table 10. This frame consists of feet l6 which are fixed by means of screws or the like to the table ID together with two cross members. One cross member I8 is rather shallow, while the other cross member 20 which is a support, is slightly higher. The device could be made with legs and contain its own table.

In substantially the center of the cross member l8 there is a bracket with bearing ears 22 and 24 respectively. This bearing bracket is held in place by any suitable means such as spot welding, screwing or the like. A pair or more of substantially L-shaped arms 28 and 30 are pivoted endandtoafoot pedalBG-at the other. end. A

respectivelyatozthe bearingears 24 and 22 and are joinedat their outerends by means of a pin 32. which'is passed therethrough. Hence, the arms cooperateto form a crank.

An operatingrod34 is fixed tothe pin 32 at one horizontal arm 38 having-a partial eye 40 at one end thereof is fixed to the operating bar or arm 34 and has a spring 42 fixed therein. This spring is disposed within the partial eye 46 and is fixed to the bottom surface of the table [0 by means of a screw eye 44 or the like. This spring opposes the operation of the pedal 35 and constantly tends to return it.

A needle bar 50 is provided with trunnions 52 and 54 which pass through the ends of the two L-shaped members 28 and 30 which form the crank. Hence, the needle bar 50 is pivotally disposed in the crank. Bores (unnumbered) are formed in the needle bar for accommodation of a pair of needles 56 and 58 respectively. Any numberof guides may be employed. Set screws 60 and 62 hold the needles in adjusted fixed position. Suitable pins 64 and 66 fasten the trunnions within the ends of the L-shaped members 28 and 3:: allowing pivotal movement of the needle bar when the crank is oscillated or reciprocated.

A pair of guides '68 and 10 respectively are fixed to the top of the support 20 by means of a clamp 12. These guides are substantially horizontal and have slots 14 at the outer ends thereof. At the inner ends there are limiting collars 16 which form abutments for the springs 18 and respectively which react thereon and also on the needle bar 50.

The needles 56 and 58 are provided with enlarged fiat eyes 82, each eye having a sharp projection 84 therein which is adapted to fix itself within the strip 86 when it is being passed through the slot in the slotted material 88.

In operation the slotted material 88 is first passed on the guides 68 and 10 by interweaving them through the slots in the desired pattern. Then the pedal 38 is operated thereby pushing the needles outwardly of the guides. this opera tion being opposed by the springs 42 and I8 and 80 respectively.

The foot pedal 36 may be provided with a locking pawl to hold it in proper position until the eyes of the needles have been threaded.

Then the foot pedal 36 is released allowing the spring to pull the eyes firmly back in the slots 14 of the guides 68 and 10. At this time the material 88 is simply pulled from the guides at the same time interweaving the strips 86 in the material 88.

The device may be motor driven, if found desirable. It would be especially desirable when the device is to be used primarily for heavy ma- 60 terial operation. In the motor operation, conupper member of said frame with needles disposed therein and fixed to said pivoted needle bar, said guides adapted to accommodate a piece of material, springs positioned between said needle bar and said frame opposing the operation of said crank, said guides having slotted ends and the needles having enlarged eyes disposed in the slotted ends of said guides, and the springs constantly pulling the needles inwardly of the guides and firmly seating said eyes in the 4 slotted ends of the guides so that the material may be passed on said guides.

WILLIAM I. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,057,280 Roseman Mar. 25, 1913 1,376,324 Embra Apr. 26, 1921 2,157,593 Conklin May 9, 1939 2,279,099 West Apr. 7, 1942 2,296,783 Golden Sept. 22, 1942 2,341,684 Baker Feb. 15, 1944 2,367,986 West Jan. 23, 1945 2,477,053 Ewer July 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 181,524 Great Britain June 22, 1922 

